The Impulse plant: the history of the Dilijan giant, which produced products for the entire USSR

In the 40s and 60s of the last century, there was a peak in the construction of large enterprises in Dilijan. The garment factory "Karifabrika" was built, it was of great importance for the life of the city and provided work for many families. The Dilijan Mineral Water Plant was also built, which annually supplied about 8.5 million bottles of water to sanatoriums and hotels in the USSR. At the same time, a huge Impulse instrument–making plant was built, the memory of which is preserved in the name of Impulse management company, a modern holding company for asset management and investment in the field of territorial development, which successfully implements projects on the territory of Dilijan, ensuring the prosperity of the city and its recognition in Armenia and abroad.

The Impulse Instrument-making plant was founded in 1962. It is located in the mountains, on the outskirts of Dilijan. It consisted of one large building and several auxiliary buildings with more than 23 production units. By the standards of the city of Dilijan, Impulse was really a giant: at the height of its industrial activity, it provided jobs for more than 3,700 local residents and supplied the entire Soviet Union with various means of communication, as well as military equipment. There is an assumption that Impulse was founded for the defense sector of the USSR, so it was located in the mountains for a reason. At the moment, the Impulse plant is abandoned. Former employees remember the period of its operation with special warmth and nostalgia, according to them, the authorities created good working conditions that allowed them to provide a decent standard of living in Soviet times.

"The Impulse plant is a whole story for me, I really loved my job, my team. In general, when the word "impulse" sounds, a storm of emotions wakes up inside me. I worked there for more than 30 years, it was the most interesting and eventful years," says Zina Chibukhchyan, a resident of Dilijan. The workers received a good salary by Soviet standards - about 200 rubles, and the salary of engineers reached 700 Soviet rubles per month. According to the wife of one of the former employees, the plant provided employees with apartments, bonuses, cars, and also gave vouchers to the best health resorts of the USSR. The plant finally ceased operations in 2001. During its "agony", such simple things as combs, bread boxes, landlines with a dialer and small radios were produced there. Despite the abandoned condition, the factory buildings were not looted and relatively retained their original appearance.

Thus, the memory of the former powerful enterprise, which had such an impressive impact on Dilijan and the entire Soviet Union, is preserved to this day in new projects, emphasizing the continuity and importance of the city's history for the modern generation.